Greece Terror Suspects Must Stand Trial

Published 6:00 pm, Sunday, December 29, 2002

A judicial council ruled Monday that 18 people charged with being members of the November 17 terrorist group should stand trial, but ordered that one of the 18 be released from jail.

The council, made up of three appellate court judges, upheld indictments drafted in recent weeks by a public prosecutor against 18 suspected members of the group.

All are jailed and a review of the charges by the judicial council was mandatory before they can go to trial.

November 17 is blamed for 23 killings and dozens of other attacks since 1975. They include the killings of four American officials, two Turkish diplomats and a British defense attache.

With one exception, nearly all the suspects are charged with multiple murders, attempted murders, bombings and bank robberies. No date has been set, but the trial is widely expected to begin in early March.

The council decided to release one of the 18 suspects, anti-globalization and labor activist Yiannis Serifis because it didn't consider him a flight risk. The 63-year-old has been charged with participation in a terrorist group and violations of weapons and explosives statutes. All are felonies.

The council did not say why it considered Serifis less of a flight risk than the other suspects.

Serifis was to be released on bail of $30,000 and has been barred from leaving the Athens area. He also has to report to a police station three times a month.

There have been several violent demonstrations by anti-globalization and anarchist groups protesting Serifis' detention. He is expected to be released Tuesday from Athens' Korydallos maximum security prison, where he has been held with other the November 17 suspects since his arrest in October.

The judicial council also ruled that none of the suspects being held can be charged with any crimes committed before 1982 because the statute of limitations on murder and other violent crimes has expired.

The gunmen eluded police for decades but were eventually exposed by a bungled bomb attack in June.

November 17 is named after the anniversary of a bloody 1973 revolt led by students that helped topple a seven-year dictatorship the following year.